§ 94. Mr. Goochasked the Minister of Education when communicating with county education authorities on the subject of transport of children to schools, if she will take into consideration the difficulties in the rural areas and the danger to young children who have to walk long distances along busy roads, as in Norfolk.
§ Miss HorsbrughAs the hon. Member will know, I do not regard the provision of transport for distances less than the statutory limits laid down in Section 39 (5) of the Education Act, 1944, as normally justifiable in present circumstances. It is, however, open to authorities to propose more generous arrangements to meet special difficulties in particular cases.
§ 98. Mr. D. Brookasked the Minister of Education if, in implementing Circular 242, it is with her agreement that local education authorities have instituted a means test to recover part of the cost of transport incurred in travelling to denominational schools.
§ Miss HorsbrughI regard it as reasonable in present circumstances that when children require transport to attend a school of their parents' choice which is not the nearest to their homes the parents should be asked to contribute towards the cost if they can afford to do so.